Nikita Hains and Maddison Kenney win national titles and earn selection for 2022 World Championships

WAIS diving graduates Nikita Hains and Maddison Keeney have claimed gold at the Australian Diving Championships to earn selection for the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, 17 June to 3 July with diving beginning on Sunday, 26 June.

Tokyo Olympian Nikita Hains edged out the competition to win the Women’s Platform, finishing on 630.00 ahead of Emily Boyd (629.45) and Emily Meaney (628.50). 

After finishing second in the Platform Synchro, Hains lined up in the Women’s Platform. Sitting third after the preliminary round, Hains dived her way to gold in the final to finish 630 points, just over half a point clear of second.

“I wanted to put in a steady performance and go out there and make myself proud‚Ķ to come away with the win is just amazing,” said Hains. 

“The women’s platform event is a really strong event… all the competitors are so strong, and it’s just good dive after good dive and you really get to feed off that energy.

Rio Olympic medallist, Kenney and partner Anabelle Smith produced a dominant display to take out the Women’s 3 Metre Synchro competition, over 40 points clear of their closest rivals. Kenney will return to the international stage after missing the Tokyo Games last year due to injury. At the last FINA World Championships in 2019, she won gold in the Mixed 3-Metre Synchro with Mathew Carter and a bronze in the Women’s 3-Metre Springboard.